Senator Ashelle Morgan called Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves after the April 13 incident in Diamond Estate where she is said to have been present when a man was shot in his left leg at his home.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves disclosed this on the state-owned NBC Radio on Tuesday, as he urged persons not to accept “the allegations of one person as being the truth”.
Businessman Cornelius John, 60, of Diamond Estate says that Morgan, who is also a lawyer, and two other men came to his house and one of the men shot him after a verbal exchange.
One of the two men who were present along with Morgan at the time of the shooting is said to be Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, Karim Nelson.
Gonsalves is Minister of National Security and Legal Affairs and is also political leader of the Unity Labour Party, in whose government Morgan is a senator.
In his comments on radio, he said that “this thing which has been making the rounds about Senator Morgan and the Assistant DPP, Mr. Nelson” is not something that he is going to comment about “simply because there is an investigation on-going as the Commissioner of Police has stated publicly”.
He continued:
“How does anyone expect the prime minister to make a public comment about allegations made by someone in relation to someone else which is a subject of a police investigation? I just want to ask that simple question.
“And I want to ask this second question: why do you take the allegations of one person as being the truth? And people running with it and talking about it as though it is the unvarnished truth and the unvarnished facts.
“I hope, for their sake, they don’t run into problems with the law of defamation. Why do people think that everything has to be hung out to be dry in the public place when an investigation is going on?”
He said that the important thing is that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution and the Office of the Commissioner of Police, “I am sure will work properly and independently in the highest traditions in this matter.
“I have spoken to Senator Morgan. When the incident occurred, you’d expect that she would call and she would tell me. And what I have read in the newspapers and heard persons talk about, without going into any details, that from what I was told, people just keep their mouths shut a bit.
“Just keep your mouth shut a bit and don’t believe and accept as fact some of the more outlandish things that you have heard in relation to Senator Morgan. I just want to say this politics is a hell of a thing, partisan politics is a hell of a thing.”
He suggested that the response of some commenters would have been different were someone from the opposition New Democratic Party involved.
“If the shoe were on the other foot and it was an NDP woman, an NDP parliamentarian or high party member who had gotten involved in this, you know how the story was going to spin?
“‘So what you expect? There are two women. In this country, there is a lot of violence against women and it is good thing to see somebody is standing up to defend women’,” the prime minister said.
“But, now, it becomes all kinds of pejorative words being used to describe somebody. Just wait. You notice how careful I am? I am not pronouncing on something which is under investigation and I would be irresponsible to do so in a circumstance like this.
“But I just ask persons, just be calm and just be patient. In any case, we have a lot of matters dealing with, COVID, Soufriere, the looming hurricane season, and how to pay the bills; how to pay the bills,” Gonsalves said.
It was not clear who are the “two women” that the prime minister was talking about.
John told iWitness News that he complained about his wife and Morgan visiting emergency shelters even as he had needed his wife to assist him on their farm on the day that the shooting occurred.
He said that he and his wife have been living apart in separate houses nearby each other since December, after an incident involving one of their children but that they were still working together.
John said that he had not had any altercations or exchange of words with anyone on the day of the shooting and that he was shot in his patio, after he called out to the trio who he saw in his yard.
John’s wife, Nicole John, told iWitness News, via telephone, on Wednesday, that John is “supposed to be” her husband.
Asked if her husband had had any confrontation on April 13, Mrs John said, “Actually, not to my knowing. That’s all I have to say.”
Asked to clarify her statement, Mrs. John, said, “Well, not to my knowing. If two people have confrontation, these two people have to be verbalising these words, right?
“If me and you have confrontation, that means me and you have to verbalise words; so not to my knowing. That’s all I have to say, please.”
Asked how she felt about that fact that her husband was shot, she said, “How I feel? Why you ask such a question? I don’t want to be interviewed, please.”
It’s so sad that the vast majority of Vincentians are politically brain washed that no matter what type of malfeasance committed by high ranking members or supporters of the government they accept it as being the norm and think they are right in everything that they do. What if this man had died what then would have been the outcome?
Did the PM just sanctioned vigilante justice?
A woman defending a woman!
The government has more lawyers as Ministers than ever before so they are suppose to be legislatively strong. Why not use legislation and policies( ethical clause of employment- employees lose their job) and set up more organisations to assist woman with housing and $1000 a month allowance.
I hope I never have to work past my prime. I will end up creating erosions rather than creating gains!
Firstly, the Prime Minister on hearing the nature of the senator’s conversation should have ended the call and should not be a party to such a conversation. Such an incident is solely for her lawyer and a report to be filed with the law authorities.
Furthermore, if you are on someone’s property and a disagreement develops the party that disembarked on the owner’s property are expected to leave the premises. Unless physically persons were prevented from leaving the owner’s premise, then any violent confrontation is unacceptable.
There is a growing trend in Saint Vincent that once you are a holder of a firearm license that it is ok to discharge it anywhere and anyhow. I hope this is not a case that can only be described as worse than Author and Grafton combined. Additionally, it seems as though every time there is an incident that involved public officials affiliated with the governing party, you must keep your mouth shut or be threatened with a deformation lawsuit. Not so, the public has a right to be anxious and should demand urgent actions be taken.
I feel sorry for Mr John. No way is he going to get justice. The Prime Minister is urging people to wait until the investigation is complete, while at the same time saying that you can’t take the word of one person as the truth. Clearly an indication that the word of three is going to be worth more that the word of one.
There are a lot of bandits in svg there are no laws and order from the head to the foot is sick
That’s the problem , the fish is rotten from the head , the PM is talking just nonsense , there’s no justification for these thugs who are supposed to be upholding the law to take the law in their own hands . Wickedness in high places .
KC, you should win an award. There we have the PM saying first this then doing that in plain sight. In the states they have the CIA, Justice department, NSA and infiltrators to do the dirty work. Geary had the Mongoose Gang. Jean Claude Duvalier had the Tonton Macoute. We got special forces because this looks like ‘Cops’ all over. Political intrigue with mafia tactics. The volcano Barely cool. Crime gone up another notch.
OK the Ralph! Do you believe the woman that called you after the incident? You can’t stop people from forming their own opinions because you are doing the same thing.
This is an attempt murder and should be treated as such. He was shot on his property, so there is also a charge of invasion of the man’s property. The behaviour of the authorities shows that they want to push this issue under the rug.
Well well I am so hurt to see this young man with his future ahead of him in this mess. Am wondering where all the morals his parents instilled in him not to follow company they will lead you astray and they will pull you to the ground. The young lady what get into your head that evening? Whether or not Mr & Mrs John had their disagreement they are husband and wife and they will sort themselves out that were their vows twenty six years ago for better or worst so I don’t see what is the interfere in their matter. You all is a set of crazy people
From How the PM speaking, sounds to me like no way Mr. John gonna get justice!
No wonder La Soufriere had to speak.
Mercy Lord! Mercy, Righteousness and Justice!
Girl, a good name is better than any treasure, if you are lucky to live to three score and ten you will never be happy, why? the evil that men do lives with them, theres a word called tormented.
There always has to be a pretty young thing that is blameless in the equation.
Is the missus in Cuba yet?